


Shoes

by Impudent_Miscengenation



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Character BG Exchange, Alternate Universe - No Powers, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Gen, Lancelot (Merlin) Lives, Protective Merlin, Spymaster Merlin, Spymaster!Merlin, alternate character history
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:55:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24629662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impudent_Miscengenation/pseuds/Impudent_Miscengenation
Summary: This is a completely self-indulgent spymaster!Merlin AU.Influenced heavily by Dragon Age's Leliana, which I do not own etc etc… Anyway, I hope this AU isn’t as crack-y as it sounds now that I’m thinking about it. Enjoy!
Comments: 21
Kudos: 117





	1. Chapter 1

It was much more difficult than it seemed, Leon realized, to trail a servant. Merlin was constantly on the move during the banquet and Leon needed to be inconspicuous about his lingering, particularly if what Camelot’s spymaster believed to be true about the serving boy.

It was pure luck that Leon hadn’t managed to lose sight of the ravenet as he quietly slipped from the banquet hall, followed shortly by a petite serving girl with messy, honey-colored hair. Giving them space, but still trailing close enough that he wouldn’t lose his quarry, Leon followed the servants out of the main areas of the castle and up several flights of stairs.

Upon reaching the battlements, Leon crouched behind a stone tower to observe Merlin interact with the other servant.

“You said that you wanted to speak to me? Have you found out any more about the plot?” Shrugging his shoulders, Merlin turned his back to the young woman and paced the length of the battlements, eyes on the darkening sky.

“Maybe; I’ve called you because there’s something important I need to have done and I’m relying on your memory. I’ve heard good things about it, after all.” The girl blushed red and dipped her gaze, mumbling that she wasn’t quite sure about all  _ that  _ but Merlin stopped pacing and faced her, which gathered her full attention. “When we go back into the ballroom, there’s a blonde noblewoman in a green gown with gold trim that I need you to find. Her name is Lady Victoria Beaufin.” The girl nodded.

“Once I find her, what am I to do? Lead her away from the ballroom?” Merlin shook his head lightly.

“No, no, nothing as conspicuous as that. I want you to compliment her on her shoes.” At this, both Leon and the servant that Merlin was speaking to were utterly confused.

“Er-her shoes?” The serving boy nodded.

“Yes, you can make up whichever compliment you want, just so long as it’s about her shoes. If you can, try to muster some envy in your voice; no doubt she’ll love that, nobles tend to enjoy lording their wealth over the commonfolk. With any luck, she’ll launch into a tale of how she acquired them.” The serving girl wrinkled her nose.

“Just compliment her shoes? You want me to butter up Lady Victoria when there’s an assassin and traitor right under our noses?” Merlin pursed his lips and turned away from her, facing the view of the town at the foot of the citadel. He was quiet for a moment and when he spoke, his tone was far more serious than Leon had ever heard it.

There was a low, clipped quality to his voice that dared to be questioned and the knight found himself stunned that such a sound was coming from the same clumsy manservant that he’d thought he knew.

“Lady Victoria has never worn these shoes before, you can tell because there’s no crease at her toe. These dancing slippers are decorated in pearls and gold thread, with a jewel at the buckle. Such money to be spent on something to be worn to dance around on, scuffing it on the ballroom floor and sullying it with dirt all evening is a waste, don't you think?... The Lady’s shoes are a vulgar display of wealth. While this is common among the nobility, there has been word that the good Lady’s house has not fared so well as of late. The eastern companies that their house has allied with for decades has now taken their fur trade elsewhere, which leaves house Beaufin all but destitute.” Merlin turned back around, the serving girl’s face still slightly confused. Merlin only smiled.

“It begs one to ask the question where she gets the resources to buy such a shoe, yes? Are there plans of betrothal between houses? Do they know of the Beaufin’s recent misfortune regarding their estate? If there are no wedding bells on the horizon then perhaps the nature of the shoe is more  _ scandalous _ . Does the Lady, or her house, have some secret benefactor? What are  _ their  _ motivations?” Understanding dawned on the serving girl’s face and she dipped her head low.

“I… I think I understand.” Merlin nodded in approval.

“Good. I have to go back to the ballroom before I’m missed. Stop in the kitchens and see Molly before you return, yourself, she’s tended to Lady Victoria before and might have some insight on how to get what we need from her. If nothing else, be sure to pick up an extra pitcher of mulled wine; there’s not a thing better for tales than loose lips, after all.” Merlin turned away to slip back downstairs and into the ballroom, leaving Leon sitting in awe. Over the course of no more than half a candlemark, his entire view of Arthur’s klutzy manservant had completely changed and it left Leon feeling worried.

He’d trusted Merlin for years, but it was just now becoming very clear to him (and the rest of the knights) that he didn’t even  _ know  _ the man. Swallowing down the bad feeling swirling in his gut, Leon crept away from the battlements once he was sure he wouldn’t be seen.

Spymaster Cathasach seemed to be onto something but it seemed deeper than even  _ he  _ knew. From the conversation that Leon just witnessed, it didn’t look like Merlin was just a  _ spy _ . It looked like he had his own  _ network _ of spies that _ answered  _ to him. The more that Leon thought about it, the more it made sense. What use was a spy that was more or less confined to a place (by the king’s side)? A spy _ master _ , however… 

Leon paused in front of the doors to the banquet hall as this information sunk in. How was he going to tell the others?


	2. Chapter 2

_Two months ago_

The kingdom of Camelot didn’t know about its spymaster, which was part of the intent when the position was created. The knowledge of the spymaster's existence extended only to the king, Geoffrey, and a small number of council members from Uther’s reign.

Cathasach, himself, was a reedy man with arms and legs that looked a bit too long for the rest of him. He always wore a long, dark cloak that brushed the floor; when he moved, it looked like he was gliding on the surface of the castle’s stone floor. His chestnut hair was always slicked back with oil and held away from his face in a low, tight tie.

Cathasach had been Uther’s personal spymaster from when he’d helped the elder Pendragon conquer the kingdom of what was now known as Camelot. In those years, he’d been a fresh-faced informant-not much better than a supply runner in terms of importance.

That he’d become spymaster to the king was due to sheer dumb luck, if he was honest. He’d stumbled upon an assassination plot by the would-be Captain of the Kingsguard. He’d been bored and snooped around the man’s quarters, looking for gossip to spread. When bringing it to the attention of his superiors, it became clear that the corruption had already spread like a poison; Cathasach was nearly killed for his efforts.

Afterward, the bold young man approached Uther Pendragon himself. Upon presenting a few damning letters and showing the wounds he’d received as a result of his loyalty, the traitors were executed and Cathasach was named the Official Spymaster to King Uther Pendragon of Camelot, once the kingdom was conquered.

These days, Cathasach kept his role under King Arthur Pendragon. It was convenient; he was there and knew how to do the job, after all.

When his underlings reported to him an unknown man with the intent to poison the royal water supply, he sent his spies to investigate only to find the plot already thwarted. Thwarted by a spy not belonging to him, no less.

The work was completed cleanly, as if nothing had happened; Camelot as a whole was completely unaware of what had occured that evening. It was work that Cathasach himself couldn't have executed better, which was unnerving to say the least.

Good outcome or no, Cathasach refused to allow a known spy-not under Camelot's employ-to roam the citadel untailed. The young man (a stablehand named Anthony) was good at remaining undetected by the guards but was no match for the multiple sets of trained eyes following his movements.

From the reports he received, Cathasach determined that there was a much larger operation behind the lone spy. Once Cathasach began connecting the dots, he came to realize that everything seemed to trace back to one man. A man that appeared to be everything a spy wasn't: a foolish, smiley, clumsy, outspoken man.

Merlin, the personal servant to King Arthur.

The fact that Cathasach only found out about the network due to his spies tripping over others was what made the man curious. With how many years the young man had been in Camelot (nearly a decade, now?), Cathasach realized that it was of the greatest importance that he determined the boy’s motivations. Who was he spying for and why were the questions at the forefront of Cathasach’s mind. Were the boy’s loyalties to Camelot or was he a double agent?

If the unknown spies, Merlin included among them, moved to take care of threats to the crown, it would lend credence to Cathasach's hesitant belief that Merlin was to Arthur what he had been to Uther-an underling spy working for the love of his ruler.

To prove this, Cathasach kept watch, and made sure that the servant was tailed at all possible times. Then, weeks later, an opportunity to test his hypothesis presented itself in the form of a sealed scroll. An assassin was on the loose. The rumor was that they would strike the night of a feast held in celebration of a bountiful harvest across the kingdom.

Cathasach held his spies back from the hall to avoid his men tripping over the other spies in the castle which they were attempting (unsuccessfully) to number. He asked Sir Leon, a trusted knight and honorable man, to watch over Arthur's manservant, instead of his usual pairs of eyes. He'd pulled the man aside at the start of the feast and explained his suspicions, making it clear that he only wanted information and not action if it could be helped.

* * *

_Present_

They were all tired. The fact that the banquet had ended two candle marks ago and it being a mere few more until dawn, it was little wonder why such was the case. Cathasach recognized, however, the importance of the information needing to be shared.

The council room was only occupied by Cathasach, King Arthur, Leon, Lancelot, Gwaine, Percival, and Elyan. They had all been sworn to secrecy upon sitting down at the table. What was said in the room would not _leave_ the room. They were the company that the king himself had chosen, stating that he knew where their loyalties lie. Given the situation at hand, Cathasach elected not to comment on the king's proclamation.

Cathasach knew that Leon had relayed what he had seen to them during the banquet and Cathasach found himself glad the knight had done so, as it allowed the men time to process the truth.

The knights were quiet, glancing at each other unsurely. Leon and Percival were the best at hiding their emotions, though Cathasach could tell that the both of them were uneasy. Lancelot looked as though they were preparing to execute his best friend (which was not exactly far off the mark, all things considered) and Elyan looked like he was ready to fight anything that dared breathe too close to him. Sir Gwaine seemed the most distraught, looking downright ill with misery, and it was likely he’d drown himself in ale as soon as they all disbanded. Despite the knight being close to Merlin, it was obvious that the servant’s activities struck him; the scruffy man had been caught completely unaware, it seemed. King Arthur was still in disbelief, though the shock had mostly worn off and the man appeared less bewildered; instead, the young monarch almost looked _grieved_ , despite the fact that his life was no longer in danger (not that he was made aware of the assassin beforehand, anyway).

As Cathasach had predicted, the assassin’s plot had been foiled before it became public knowledge. The spies hidden in Camelot’s walls were practiced, it seemed. Enemies though they may very well prove to be, Cathasach couldn’t help but to admire their efficiency.

Lady Victoria of house Beaufin had accepted a bribe from less than reputable sources, allowing the assassin to pose as her personal handmaid in order to strike at the heart of Camelot. The assassin was found dead at the foot of a rather large staircase with her neck broken and plenty of proof of her true nature on her person. The Lady Victoria was then subsequently banished, her holdings defaulting to her younger sister, Elizabeth, who had no knowledge of the devious ploy.

“So, my manservant is a spy.” Arthur swallowed and looked at Cathasach. “Where do we go from here?” All eyes were on the old spymaster, who stood from his seat and folded his hands behind his back.

“Firstly, I don’t believe he is a spy. I believe that, from what Sir Leon and my spies have told me, your servant very likely has exclusive control over a network of spies which we have, as of yet, been unable to number.” Cathasach paused. “The most recent tally of those we've seen consorting with the _known_ spies was 13 citizens of the lower town, and just as many servants in the castle. Whether or not all of these people are part of a direct chain of command, we can't tell quite yet."

"As far as Merlin himself is concerned, at the moment I would like to continue watching him. If his majesty obliges, I would like us to act as if we have gleaned no new knowledge of your servant these past weeks.” It was obvious that Arthur wanted to interject at this time but Cathasach continued speaking, effectively cutting the young king off.

“I’m still unsure as to his intent, your highness. Nor do I have information on his affiliations, should he have any beyond Camelot. Given time, now that we are more aware of his activities, we may be able to determine the level of threat he poses to the kingdom. From there, it would be easier to act accordingly. We must be able to tell how far his influence has spread. If he _is_ a master of spies, it wouldn't help us to eliminate a partial threat. Sometimes cutting off the head of an organization will cause two to return in its place." Cathasach finished, allowing himself to be seated at the table. After a beat of silence, Sir Gwaine spoke up.

"But we're not seriously talking about… cutting off his head, right? I mean, if these spies answer to Merlin and the spies are taking care of threats, is this not a good thing?" Leon sighed and leaned back in his seat, eyeing Gwaine wearily.

"The nature of a spy, or spymaster, is not so easily determined, Sir Gwaine."

"But this is _Merlin_ we're talking about!"

"Which is exactly his _point_ , Sir Gwaine." Arthur interjected coldly. "How many years have we all thought Merlin was unable to hurt a fly? Now it comes out that he's running an independent spying organization out of Camelot from right under our noses." Arthur paused and glowered at the table as if it had offended him. "He can't be trusted." Gwaine wisely chose to hold his tongue and, instead, stood up. He caused his chair to scrape loudly across the stone floor and shot the room's occupants a seething glare.

“I gave you a vow of silence which I will keep but I want no further part in this.” Was all the man had to say before he turned on his heel and left the room. Arthur could have forced the man to stay but he was aware that the long-haired knight was probably taking this revelation the hardest out of all of them, and so he let Gwaine leave. The king turned his attention back to Cathasach.

“You’ve my permission to watch him, make sure he doesn’t cause trouble. In return, I want anything you discover to be reported directly to me as soon as you know it.” Cathasach bowed in respect.

“It will be as you command it, my lord.”

“Now, if that’s _all_ the wonderful news for the evening, I would very much like to retire to my chambers. Sir Leon, fetch George and send him to my rooms.” Arthur ordered as he set a brisk pace for the door before pausing in the doorway, glancing back at his head knight. “... And make sure he brings wine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't going to continue but your kudos and comments motivated me (thank you so much!!)


	3. Chapter 3

_Present - (12 days after the banquet)_

Merlin always seemed to be chatting idly with two or three people at a time at any point when he roamed the castle halls. What was misleading was the animated facial expressions the young man took on as he spoke; they didn’t seem to bely serious conversation, let alone a conversation between a spymaster and underling spies.

This was just one of the things that Arthur began to question about Merlin. Little oddities about the man which nobody had ever paid attention to were now being scrutinized, especially by the king and his men. Now that they saw the bigger picture, it was time to start filling in some of the large, obvious gaps. The men had decided, collectively, to start keeping a closer eye on the manservant in between duties-despite Cathasach assuring them that he already had people trailing the man. In the evenings, they would gather in Arthur’s chambers once Merlin had retired for the day and discuss what they noticed; this was also when Arthur would bring the rest of the knights up to speed on anything Cathasach reported to him.

So far this evening, Leon realized that Merlin almost _always_ had something in his hands. A basket, clothing and armor, a pitcher or jug, a stack of folded fabrics; the young man’s arms were always laden down with _something_ . It was the type of thing that nobody would question, and even Leon found himself wondering if this tidbit of information was useful. He _was_ a servant, after all. Lancelot assured the older knight that it was relevant, based on something he’d witnessed.

By complete chance, Lancelot caught Merlin swapping his laundry basket for another while crossing paths with a serving girl in the hallway, the both of them continuing on their respective routes without so much as a word. Lancelot had been just entering the hallway perpendicular to theirs and saw the brief interaction across the room between them without being seen. If the knight hadn’t been looking, he wouldn’t have seen anything. He’d wondered if he should confront his friend about it but ultimately decided against it, instead bringing the news to the roundtable talks held in Arthur’s chambers.

Percival brought to light that Merlin _never stopped moving_ throughout the course of the day. Thinking for a moment, the larger knight recollected an encounter he’d had earlier with the enigmatic manservant and relayed it to the other men present.

The gentle giant had taken it upon himself to check up on the man when he’d seen Merlin eating a piece of cheese and reading from a scroll while moving across the courtyard at a brisk pace. He stopped and waved when Percival called out to him, though.

“Anything interesting?” Percival gestured to the scroll and Merlin shrugged, giving the knight a cheery, disarming smile.

“Just an herb list for Gaius’ stores, actually. Who knew you could go through so much willow bark so quickly?” Merlin said offhandedly, casually rolling up the parchment and stashing it into his pocket. Merlin then launched into a tale about some sweetbread he'd managed to sneak from the kitchens. He shared a thick slice of it with Percival and was on his way, Percival having nearly forgotten about the exchange.

After Percival relayed this tale to the group, there was a profound silence that stretched on until Leon broke it with a rough sound.

“Deflection. Distraction. They’re common techniques that they teach the spies here in Camelot.” The knight found the table more interesting than the eyes of his men in that moment and Arthur huffed, turning to Percival.

“Was there anything else? Did you see anything on the parchment?” Percival shook his head.

“No, my lord; to both questions.” Arthur made a discontented noise in his throat but before the conversation could continue, the doors opened to reveal Sir Gwaine. The knights all turned to face him as he spoke.

"He's leaving the castle; he just left Gaius' chambers and I’m going after him. I don't care if your spymaster has eyes on him, I want to see this for myself." The knight turned on his heel and strode from the doorway; the man didn't need to do anything further to convince the rest of the roundtable knights to follow him out the door.

* * *

Gwaine’s intrusion of their meeting was unexpected in itself, let alone his declared intention of tailing Merlin. The knight had been off the past week, icy and clipped with anyone who dared cross him. Elyan mentioned that he hadn’t seen the knight anywhere near Merlin for more than a week, which was puzzling, considering the knight’s vehement defense of the servant in the council chambers almost a fortnight ago.

Gwaine was silent and brooding as he led them all towards the city gates, offering no explanation for his change of heart; the knights wouldn't probe him for one right now.

To all of their surprise, they saw someone waiting for them. Arthur recognized the long, heavy cloak as belonging to Camelot’s spies.

“Master Cathasach suspected that you all would make the attempt to follow or confront him at some point. I was assigned to monitor you all in that regard.” Though the voice was feminine, her long, hooded, and olive-colored cloak hid the spy's appearance entirely. Arthur scoffed, looking incredulous.

“I am the king; I may do as I wish when it comes to safeguarding the interests of my people.” The spy bowed once more.

“Of course, my lord. That’s why I’m here to guide you. I’ve been trained to tag other spies; I’m sure I will prove my worth.” Instead of waiting for orders from the king, the spy inclined her head towards the forest.

“We should be able to enter without being heard now.” Her tone was lower and the men picked up on the change in the atmosphere. Time to get serious, get silent, and hopefully get some answers.

* * *

_10 days ago - 2 days after the banquet_

It was either far too late at night or far too early in the morning when Merlin was jarred awake by his security traps. Rigged to pull a few unseen threads (running along the seam between the walls and ceiling) if the door was opened, the traps sent a button careening into the back wall of Merlin's room, right next to his bed. While Merlin’s body immediately readied his fight-or-flight response, an off balance and _quite_ inebriated Sir Gwaine managed to stumble into Merlin's bedroom. The drunk man caught himself on the frame of Merlin's cot, his arm swung around over the thin mattress, nearly face-planting onto the floor in the process. Merlin's entire frame relaxed and he released a breath.

“ _Merlin_!” The drunk man whisper-yelled (well, it was a mite closer to a yell) and then hiccuped. Merlin rolled his eyes fondly.

“Continuing the festivities again, tonight, Gwaine? You know, Arthur’s going to be-”

“ _Merlin_ , you’d tell me if you were doing- _hic_ -if you were doing something… not very regal, light-oh, right? Le-legal. Not legal. I’m your- _hic_ -I’m your best friend and if you are… _You-_ Oh, gods I’m going to be sick.” Merlin was, thankfully, able to shove a bucket towards the man before he emptied out what looked like a flagon's worth of ale into it.

"You've had a lot to drink, Gwaine." Merlin used a serious tone of voice and suddenly there was a small glass bottle in Gwaine's face. "Drink this, it will help the nausea."

Whilst moaning about his stomach discomfort and the fact that he was glad for something to take the sick taste off his tongue, Gwaine downed the vial in one go.

"Oh, that feels…" Gwaine paused as he felt the heaviness of sleep rushing into his mind and he realized that he'd been given a sleeping draught of some kind. The knight frowned and looked up to his friend, who was stone-faced as he started dabbing at Gwaine’s face with a wet cloth. Gwaine tried to think; he knew he’d come to ask Merlin something-something important. His brain, addled by the alcohol as well as the sleeping draught, worked three times as hard but produced no results.

Somehow, the knight managed to produce the idea that Merlin could have intended such an outcome; that he didn’t want to answer what Gwaine wanted to ask. With darkening peripheral vision, Gwaine sounded lost and hurt when he spoke to the skinny man above him.

"You… drugged me?"

“You’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep, Sir Gwaine.” Merlin sounded dismissive, without much emotion at all, to Gwaine’s ears as the drunk man lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the chapters aren't long but ¯\\_( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯ here it is


	4. Chapter 4

_ Present - 12 days after the banquet _

The spy gave the knights the signal to stop. Crouched uncomfortably close to one another inside thick brushes within a nest of trees, all of the bulky men tried to quietly settle against one another. Pressing her finger against her lips, Camelot’s spy gestured to a small opening in the brush that offered a modest view of a small forest clearing.

"I will take my leave, now." The spy murmured in Arthur's ear, taking careful and silent steps back towards the citadel. With the area shrouded in the dark night, it took a long moment but the knights eventually spotted a hooded, blue-green cloak. The tall figure was leaning against a tree on the far side of the clearing; they were waiting for something, or someone.

This tall figure was definitely Merlin.

It took every restraint Arthur had to not run out and confront his manservant but he somehow prevailed. They all settled in but didn't end up waiting for long before a low whistle from the side of the clearing opposite Merlin rang out. There was an answering whistle from the general direction they knew Merlin was in and a hooded figure slowly crept from the treeline to the north-east of them. Merlin pushed himself off of the tree and sauntered casually to the center of the clearing, where the other person stood to wait. The unknown person took down their hood, their hands clasped behind their back and head bowed low. It was too dark to see anything beyond a profile highlight, but it appeared that the other person in the clearing was a young woman with dark, chin-length hair. 

“Mavis has six children.” The young woman said, eyeing the hooded servant. Merlin hummed and nodded.

“In response to the meadowsweet acquired recently by the first daughter of Peregrine, the flower and stem were spoiled with the root left intact. The flower and stem have since been separated from the supply.”

“Does the Lady Peregrine still have the flower and stem?” The unknown woman inquired and Merlin shook his head.

“They were taken by the second son of Luscinia. I need you to deliver vervain to the first son of Magpie. You’ll find six children there.” The woman bowed her head again.

“Understood.” Conversation completed in less than two minutes, entirely in what seemed to be a type of coded language, Merlin turned west back towards the city and the woman left in the opposite direction.

When Gwaine moved to stand, Arthur yanked the man back down by his upper arm.

“No.” He snarled lowly the knight, leveling the man with a hard stare. “This ends now.” The king stood up himself and marched in the direction that Merlin had gone, not caring at how loud he was as he carried on. If Merlin didn’t hear him already, he would soon enough.

* * *

_ 9 days ago - 3 days after the banquet _

Gwen had been unsure as to Arthur's ill temperament the past couple days. Her first thought was that the young king was upset with  _ her _ , due to the fact that their budding courtship had all but ceased since the return of Lancelot; Gwen couldn’t help it, her heart longed for the handsome knight’s and the way that Lancelot shared her looks made her believe that it was possible that he returned her affections.

Gwen shortly realized, however, that it was not her that had gained Arthur’s ire.

From observation, she could tell that he was working Merlin harder than he usually was, and busying the young man with tasks that kept him away from Arthur’s side.

She’d asked Merlin about it, who confirmed that the king was being “more of a prat than usual”, as of late. The king’s servant was unaware of anything he’d done recently to make Arthur particularly upset; unless it was his casually mentioning the fact that the king was acting as if he had a stick shoved up his arse, that is, which had earned him a trip to the stocks.

While contemplating how to approach Arthur about his quarrel with Merlin, she was summoned by the king. She was glad enough for the opportunity to at least figure out what the fighting was about. But when she arrived, with a sour-faced Arthur and Merlin nowhere to be seen, Gwen hesitated. Merlin and Arthur often fought with Gwen as the mediator but somehow the servant had a feeling that this wasn't something she could step into. The young king’s face was as disturbed as she’d ever seen it and it made the servant nervous.

"Guinevere, you know that I value your friendship; I value your honesty and loyalty." Gwen blushed and bowed her head, beginning to grow concerned as she contemplated his wording.

"Of course, sire. You have all without question." Arthur nodded. 

"Then, I expect honesty when I ask you… How much do you know about what Merlin does when he's not in my service?" The handmaid blinked in surprise and stopped to think. She  _ wanted  _ to ask about why the two of them were quarreling but it seemed that Arthur was more interested in answers from her. With how deadly serious the air was around the monarch, Gwen decided that she would be better off trying to help Merlin when Arthur wasn’t obviously feeling so unpleasant.

“I’m sure that Merlin himself can tell you more but I know that he helps Gaius tend to physician's duties. I know that Merlin is the one who goes down to the lower town more often, so Gaius doesn’t have to walk all that way if it isn’t necessary. I suppose in between tasks for you during the day I’ve seen him pop in to help the seamstresses; he’s rather good with a loom, really, er-I have a feeling all of this isn't what you want to hear." Gwen interrupted herself, seeing the expression on the king's face. Arthur sighed and waved his hand.

"It's not that- it’s nothing, really. You may leave; my apologies for taking you from your duties." The poor girl looked completely puzzled and very much like she had something to say. After a moment of fidgeting, debating on how best to speak her mind, Gwen simply deflated and curtsied. It was probably better to have a better conversation later, when Arthur didn’t seem so reticent, and Gwen saw herself out.

As soon as she was gone, Arthur heaved a sigh. It seemed as though Gwen didn’t know anything of Merlin’s activities, which relieved him more than he cared to admit. While their relationship had cooled significantly, Arthur cared for Gwen a great deal and had been loath to think that the serving girl may have been aware or even a part of the seemingly massive network of spies crawling through the city. It was rotten enough that he was looking at all of his subjects with suspicion; should this damning suspicion infect his inner circle more thoroughly than it already had, Arthur wasn’t sure he could take it.

He wanted to  _ do  _ something about Merlin. He was a king, so what was stopping him from shaking his skinny servant’s shoulders and demanding answers until he knew the truth?

Merlin would tell him the truth if he knew what Arthur knew, right?

Arthur slammed his fist down on his desk in frustration, the sound echoing beyond the empty corridor which held his chambers.

* * *

Gwaine didn’t typically solve problems with words. He usually used his sword, sometimes his fists, and there was of course the odd piece of furniture or glass mug.  _ Despite this _ , he’d been wanting to hear what Merlin himself had to say about all the spies. He  _ couldn’t  _ say anything, however, because of his oath.

Of course, such situations as these required alcohol. Gwaine maintains that some of the best decisions he’s ever made he’s done so whilst brilliantly not sober.

In the gaps of his memory from last night, Gwaine recalled that he’d spoken to Merlin. This made perfect sense; the knight had woken up in his own bed, dressed in his nightshirt, and with not so much a headache as one might expect. The only time he ever woke up that pleasantly after a night of heavy drinking was if Merlin had helped him back into the knight’s quarters and convinced him to sleep.

The problem was that he couldn’t recall the details of the conversation: the length, subject, and details were all lost in his mind. He recalled that he felt hurt and betrayed at the end of their discussion (if it was even that) but he completely lacked context.

As much as he hated to admit it, Gwaine realized that Cathasach, Arthur, Leon-all of their words and observations were starting to have a profound effect on him. In addition to that, somehow, something had happened last night that sowed some kind of wariness concerning Merlin.

Gwaine felt guilty about his hesitance but this was alleviated by the fact that Merlin was his friend; Gwaine knew that he would  _ always _ see the young man as such, regardless of what he’d gotten himself into. Gwaine had made plenty of friends that weren’t on the best terms with the law-they tended to be more fun, after all.

Even still, Gwaine needed time to sort out all of his feelings before he could even think about trying to talk to the servant again. It was just as well because he couldn’t exactly mention anything that happened about the banquet, being sworn to secrecy and all, and he’d be all too tempted to try and  _ possibly  _ find a loophole.

Gwaine decided that he needed time to think, to wait. Hopefully, something would come to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it looks like I might /actually/ finish writing this thing, who would've thought? I've already got part of the next chapter written and I'm thinking that there will be two more chapters total, possibly three. Who knows, maybe I'll continue this AU further with a prequel/sequel if there's the desire. I'm really having fun with this and I hope y'all are too.


	5. Chapter 5

_ 6 days ago - 7 days after the banquet _

Gwaine was the sort of man to boast his common birth (as a knight) in order to pick up tavern wenches. He never expected it to actually work, in truth, but who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth? After a few tumbles in the hay out by the stables, Gwaine parted ways with a giggling, redheaded handmaiden.

She was in his idle thoughts for the rest of the following day and, when he saw her red curls fly around a sparsely populated corner of the castle, Gwaine decided to see if she had any interest in passing more time with him (though perhaps not in the stables, this time, as he was still plucking straw from where it had no business being).

Rounding the corner, Gwaine was about to call out for the woman when he noticed she wasn't alone. The corridor was deserted but for the handmaid and Merlin. Gwaine turned back around, pressing his back to the wall, and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Have you heard birdsong lately?"

"The birds sing in many ears. I think a day should be enough for the cats to begin yowling in turn."

"Good. Take some horehound to the lower town; the second son of Peregrine is there and waits for Lungwort." The redhead bowed her head and the two split ways, Merlin turning to approach Gwaine's hiding place. After hesitating a moment, Gwaine peeled off before he could be seen with a strange dryness in his mouth and his heart pounding wildly.

* * *

_ Present - 13 days after the banquet _

Arthur was seated at his desk and Merlin was seated in front of it. Still dark outside, it was currently in the first hours of the morning but Arthur refused to prolong this necessary confrontation any further despite what his father’s spymaster had to say. There was a silence that stretched between them while their eyes met. Arthur was the one to speak first, as he knew that Merlin would not.

“How long have you been lying to me, then?” Merlin flinched and wore a guilty expression. Good.

“It wasn’t as though I intended-”

“ _ How long, Merlin? _ ”

“... If I remember right, it was about three months after I came into your service that I found my first agents.” Ye _ Gods _ . Arthur put his head into his hands and silence took over the room once more, this time broken hesitantly by Merlin.

“They may work for me but they’ve pledged to you, Arthur.” The king didn’t move from his position and Merlin continued. “I didn’t intend to… _begin_ this entire thing, nor did I ever imagine it would expand as it has but all of what I am is for you. For you, alone, because I believe in the man that you are and the king that this land needs. I’ve told you that I’m proud and happy to serve you until the day I die and I swear to you that that hasn’t changed.” He bowed his head. “I am your servant, nothing more.” Arthur’s head snapped up and he regarded his friend with narrowed eyes.

“Nothing more? You-!” The king stood and crossed over in front of his desk, pacing the floor while Merlin watched.

“According to _Camelot's_ spymaster, you have control of more than two dozen spies just here in Camelot. From what I just saw, you also have some measure of influence with spies in  _ other  _ kingdoms. You’ve lied to me, I’m not even sure I can count the times, now, nor tell when you’ve  _ actually  _ been honest with me. I… I feel as though I don’t even  _ know  _ you.” Arthur finished, surprised that he was able to hide the hurt from his voice as well as he had. Though, he supposed the fire in his gut had something to do with that.

_ If these spies answer to Merlin and the spies are taking care of threats, is this not a good thing? _

Arthur continued his frenzied pacing while his mind worked itself into a tizzy. He knew that, under normal circumstances, Merlin would joke about seeing smoke from his ears or some other such nonsense. The thought of normalcy after all of this was enough to stop Arthur in his tracks and he glanced to where Merlin sat.

Merlin's head was still bowed in shame and he was looking mournfully at the stone floor and what Arthur thought was regret in his shimmering blue eyes. His hands were clenched in tight fists on his knees and his lower lip was being bitten with such a ferocity that Arthur was surprised the skin hadn’t broken. It was difficult to catch but Arthur noticed the small tremors that occasionally ran through his shoulders.

_ This is  _ Merlin _ we’re talking about! _

It was seeing the young man like this, holding back sobs and tears while professing his continued loyalty to the King, that caused Arthur to wearily make his way back to his seat. His anger had evaporated at the lost expression on his servant’s face.

“... You say that all of what you are is for me.” Merlin looked up, eyes wet, and he nodded fiercely.

“Yes. Always.”

“Then you will tell me the truth. About  _ everything _ .” Looking down, Merlin nodded and took a deep breath, more hesitant than he had been with his previous, emphatic reply.

“I… Yes. It’ll take some time.” Arthur leaned back in his chair and fixed his gaze on the man before him, folding his hands and resting them on his lap.

“We have it, now. Start from the beginning .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, this took me a hot minute to post because uggggh  
> the struggle exists.  
> Nearing the end, though. :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's nothing much but it's an ending. Featuring magic-reveal vibes and some platonic Merthur.

_ Present - Four weeks after the banquet _

Merlin was leaning against one of the stone ridges atop one of Camelot’s higher battlements, deep in thought. He’d been watching the sunset, finally able to sneak away for a brief moment of peace, and thinking about how much could change over the rough course of a month.

Not only had Cathasach discovered the underground network of spies running through Camelot, he’d informed Arthur about it too (after sitting on it for a fortnight, of course). The instant that Anthony reported his discovery he was being tailed by one of Camelot’s spies, Merlin knew that something big was about to occur-though he never imagined the outcome being anything other than bad.

Arthur cornered him one night, Merlin still winces at the memory of how rough Arthur had been when he’d pushed Merlin down and pinned him to the ground. Arthur had been practically foaming at the mouth with rage until he suddenly demanded that Merlin get up and accompany him back to Camelot, where they would retire to his chambers for a  _ very  _ long talk.

The conversations that took place over the course of three nights, exclusively between Merlin and Arthur, had been… Cathartic, at least, if intermittently explosive. It was mostly Merlin that spoke, Arthur asking the odd question here and there. Several times, however, (which is why the conversation took place over a number of days) Arthur found that he needed to ‘ponder Merlin’s stories on his own’ (i.e. rave and rant to himself with no one around to hear), so he’d sent the younger man away.

Once every tale had been told, Merlin’s continued loyalty professed and proven, Merlin asked Arthur what would become of him. Initially, Arthur wanted to give Merlin the title of Camelot’s official spymaster but the raven-haired man adamantly refused. Not only was the role of spymaster already taken by an experienced professional, but Merlin claimed that he was able to collect the information he did because of his position as a servant. The argument was not something Merlin would budge on and Arthur found that he didn’t dislike the idea of keeping the man at his side.

The sun had mostly set now, the berry colored sky speckled with stars in many spots. A light breeze has since kicked up and Merlin found that he enjoyed the way it ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek.

“Thought you might be up here.” Merlin found his mouth curving up at the sound of the familiar voice, his eyes still on the colors dancing in the sky.

“Only you would.” Arthur scoffed and leaned against the stone ridge adjacent to Merlin’s, looking over the city before his blue gaze settled back onto the younger man.

“You’ve been out of it all day, what’s happening in that thick skull of yours?” Merlin gave Arthur the side-eye and Arthur, in turn, poked him hard in the ribs, earning a yelp.

“Look, it’s just been… A lot, alright? A lot in a short time.” Arthur bobbed his head in agreement.

“The first fortnight was the worst.” If possible, Merlin flattened himself more thoroughly against the stone of the castle. Arthur hummed in thought as they both watched the sun continue its descent.

“You know, now that I know you can be quiet when you want to be, I’m going to have to devise some punishment for all those times your oafish bumbling ruined my hunting.” Merlin snorted in response and rolled his eyes-not without affection.

“Of course,  _ sire. _ ”

Despite that there were things between them that had changed, it was a good feeling to know that some things never would.

.

_ fin _

* * *

**_bonus:_ **

“So you  _ did  _ drug me!”

“I  _ panicked _ ! I had a vague feeling that  _ Arthur _ might have known but  _ you  _ were a surprise, so when you started going on about illegal activities, I freaked out!”

“Oh. Wait, you said you figured out who the assassin was because of her shoes?”

“Shut up about the shoes, Gwaine.”

“Oh, don’t bully me, Perci. I just can’t-I mean, who even  _ thinks  _ like that!”

“Well, Merlin, apparently. Doubtful anyone else would.”

“Oi, my thinking has saved  _ this  _ royal prat’s life on more occasions than I can count! Your lives, too!”

“Doesn’t make you any less strange, Merlin.”

“ _ Oi! _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm honestly sorry about it taking as long as it did, especially with the lackluster length and content, but I was starting to lose my muse with this and didn't want to leave it without an ending, even if the ending is as big a dumpster fire as this one is. Again, sorry.  
> In the end I had too many runaway ideas and no realistic place in the plot of this story to put them, which kinda makes me sad but I can always make this a series if my muse picks back up again.  
> Hope you guys liked it and I thank you all again for your comments and kudos; they give me motivation and make me smile.


End file.
